ssedha

I will ask that to be clarified in written before I make any further movement. What they have told me is the lease doesn't start afresh. I continue to make payments to my original contract and with the new car, it resumes as is with the time left (which after the special order will be about 25 months). I have been assured that the Residual will not change and I would be able to purchase the S4 or the A4 per the original CC lease contract. They have said that everything will remain the same and as is, it's just the VIN on my contract will change. I do not think there will be any future liability. It just comes down to paying $6185 in 3 months to take delivery of an S4 P+, Sport Diff., B&O, or pay nothing out of my pocket and get the A4 P+, Sport Pkg, B&O. I have been assured that they will also take care of applicable sales tax, dealer fees, title, registration. So literally I show up, give them keys to the CC, pay them $6185 and take home the S4, or just show up, give them keys to the CC and take home the A4 without paying a single cent out of my pocket!

No doubt the S4 is the better deal as it will hold it's value longer. I'm just worried if the model is refreshed, will the value take a big hit? I can see the $6k as something like a security deposit which I can get back... I'm banking on purchasing the car at end of 2 years for $17,400 and then probably within 12 months sell it... I usually don't like to keep my cars longer than 4 years...

ssedha

That is some sound advice. Surprisingly, my gf said the same thing. She said visually the cars look very similar. The A4 with sport pkg. also has the S-Line badges on the car, so the looks are similar. She asked me if $5-$6k was enough for the extra power as equipment wise, it would be the same. I drove the A4 in Dynamic mode and if I got that, that's all I would drive it in. The comfort mode wasn't all that. It felt like the car had ample power. The S4, well that's an S4.

So if I go with A4, I get the sport leather seats, the B&O sound and the 2.0 Quattro 8-Sp Auto tranny.

The S4, I get Alacantara Seats, the B&O sound, Sport Diff. & the V6T with DSG tranny!!!

For Cleveland driving, where my 17 miles to/from work is on a straight freeway 90, with just 2 exit ramps to worry about, a) will the sport diff really matter? and b) Is that enough to justify $5k-$6k of CASH going out?

I'm not trying to annoy anyone here (apologies in advance if I do), but I've never had an Audi before and these are just some questions that are popping in my head. I maybe making it a difficult decision for myself. But this time I want to take an educated and good decision. I got the CC as an impulse buy and a week later, I wasn't 100% happy with it!!!

fireguy40

So my A4 has Alcantera Sport Seats, DSG and I think 60-40 sport diff.

Sounds like options/standard equip between Can and US cars is different i.e. not comparing apples to apples here.

ssedha

Alright guys. I've decided to go with the S4. Now with 2014, Audi Drive Select is standard. So I can select Dynamic, Auto, or Comfort. I don't really care about NAV or individual settings. I have not driven an S4 with Sport Diff. My mind has been going bonkers reading the 'must have' side and the 'non-SD' side. For a normal daily driving with the twisty roads of Ohio, (and no track) would spending $1100 on the Sport Diff make sense? Or should I save that money and put it towards Better wheels or Audicare? As it is, I would have to give $6185 Cashier's Check to get into this S4. ($5085 if I do not select the Sport Diff). I can easily spend that money towards buying Audicare and the 19" better looking wheels...

ssedha

I guess I should also add that on a clover leaf exit ramp (suggested speed was 25mph) I was still able to do a 60mph on a test drive that did not have the Sport Diff. Will the $1100 make that much of a difference?

Bobby Kinstle

Hell yes it will. The sport diff is the one and only MUST HAVE feature on the car. Everything else is secondary. You simply won't believe the G forces you can pull in corners with the sport diff and it dramatically reduces, in most cases eliminates, understeer. You will need to do extra conditioning for your facial muscles as the sport diff will contort your face into new shapes never seen before and if you try to talk in a corner, you'll sound retarded as your lips disobey their commands to form common sounds.

Nicky_do_it

It doesn't transform into a RWD. It does help coming out of a turn. I wouldn't say don't get it but I wouldn't critize if you didn't. Also, although I plan to track, it won't be with my s4. Not to say the sport diff is only for the track, I just wouldn't use it much on the street and it's not the difference maker for me to put my s4 on the track

Toecutter

Right on! Good choice.

The sport diff is also very helpful on snow and ice, so it's not just for track use. I would opt fr the sport diff over wheels in a heartbeat. Audi Care is valuable for me since I'm not one to do my own oil changes. I think I read that having Audi Care improves your lease scenario. I've never leased so I don't know exactly what people meant, but it had something to do with your residual I think.

ssedha

My 2014 S4 has been ordered. The only option I went for was the B&O Sound.

2014 Audi S4 Premium Plus
Monsoon Gray Metallic
Black Interior
Bang & Olufsen Sound
All Season Tires

I drove two S4s back to back (one with Diff, one without). And even when I was pushing both, I really could not spot a major difference. So I figured that's something I could live without. I could also live without the cosmetic stuff like the 19" Wheels / Carbon Atlas etc. Got a commission number, now the wait begins

waffles

does it maintain your residual in terms of % (eg 54%) or $? kind of important to figure out before you sign a new lease don't you think?

also bad move on all season tires, comes with a 135mph limiter

also your dad is a terrible financial analyst. the resale value on a 55k S4 after 2 years with <40k miles on it will be a lot higher than $17k, "you don't know market conditions" rofl